


The Stowaway

by LadyValkyrie



Series: Finding a future in Nassau [3]
Category: Black Sails
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Fluff, Gen, Girls can do anything, One Big Happy Family, Parenting Fail
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-09-23
Updated: 2017-09-23
Packaged: 2019-01-04 08:02:46
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,492
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12164814
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LadyValkyrie/pseuds/LadyValkyrie
Summary: ‘Thomas. Tell me, who was responsible for seeing the girls safely to the school house this morning?’ Miranda’s voice is dangerously calm. Thomas knows this is not a good sign.He pauses. ‘Umm, wasn’t Esme supposed to see them in this morning?’‘No, Thomas. Esme, if you recall, which you obviously do not, left this morning to take supplies to the maroon camp. James and William left aboard the Walrus at first light. I travelled to see Jamison early, and you, Thomas, were supposed to see the girls to school.’‘Oh.’ Bugger, he’d completely forgotten. He’d assumed that they’d left well before he went into town. ‘Well they know the way, after all at 14 and 12 the girls are on their way to adulthood…’ Thomas is digging himself into a hole, and the look on Miranda’s face tells him that he’s screwed up.‘I found a rather interesting letter on the table when I got home this afternoon, Thomas. A letter from Minerva announcing that she was going to sea with James and William on their next voyage.’In which Thomas, Miranda and James' children think about future careers, and Thomas has something of a parenting fail.





	The Stowaway

**Author's Note:**

> So in my head cannon for this AU, the children take Miranda's surname. I figured with the scandal attached to the Hamilton and McGraw names, it would be safer for them to have Miranda's name when they first establish themselves in Nassau. I can't image that James would want them taking the name of the notorious Flint either.

Nassau, 1722

 

Thomas Hamilton has a good life. He enjoys being the ceremonial governor of the Island, while leaving the real running of the place to Max. They have been left mostly alone by London, thanks to the influence of Eleanor Guthrie’s relatives, and he’s made some good progress in reducing the Island’s dependance on slavery. He had his wife, his lover and their three children and their farm. His lad William had just turned 16, almost a man and was enjoying his apprenticeship as a sailor, with hopes of captaining his own vessel, spending time aboard James’s, Vane’s and Rackham’s ships to learn the tricks of the trade; their daughters Evie and Minerva were becoming delightful young ladies, well educated like their mother and he has high hopes for the future.

 

This rather pleasant illusion is shattered when Miranda storms into his office in the town one sunny afternoon.

 

‘Oh hello dear, I thought you’d go straight back to the farm after you visited Jamison’s plantation?’ Thomas asked. He, James and Miranda were aiming to buy another plantation, to prove that it can economically viable to grow sugar and tobacco without slave labour, and pay the workers a fair wage. Miranda had been visiting Jamison to find out if rumours were correct that he was soon to leave the island.

 

‘Thomas. Tell me, who was responsible for seeing the girls safely to the school house this morning?’ Miranda’s voice is dangerously calm. Thomas knows this is not a good sign.

 

He pauses. ‘Umm, wasn’t Esme supposed to see them in this morning?’

 

‘No, Thomas. Esme, if you recall, which you obviously do not, left this morning to take supplies to the maroon camp. James and William left aboard the _Walrus_ at first light. I travelled to see Jamison early, and you, Thomas, were supposed to see the girls to school.’

 

‘Oh.’ Bugger, he’d completely forgotten. He’d assumed that they’d left well before he went into town. ‘Well they know the way, after all at 14 and 12 the girls are on their way to adulthood…’ Thomas is digging himself into a hole, and the look on Miranda’s face tells she is unimpressed.

 

‘I found a rather interesting letter on the table when I got home this afternoon, Thomas. A letter from Minerva announcing that she was going to sea with James and William on their next voyage.’ Miranda throws the letter on Thomas’s desk. ‘I also learnt today, when I went to the school house to see if Evie knew anything about this, that the bloody school master has been throwing all the female students out of lessons in the afternoons while he teaches the boys mathematics. Apparently he doesn’t believe that the female mind can manage numbers. So that begs the question; where is our middle child, Thomas? And how did our youngest child manage to slip aboard James’s ship?’ 

 

By this point Miranda is leaning over Thomas, hands on his desk and she is furious.

 

Max enters the study with papers for Thomas’s signature, she pauses when she senses the tension in the air ‘I’m sorry to interrupt, but I need to leave these for Thomas… I also couldn’t help but overhear - Evie has been helping me in the afternoons with my accounts - she has quite the head for numbers, so I’ve been putting her to work.’

 

Both Miranda and Thomas stare at Max; working in a brothel wasn’t what they had anticipated for Evie’s future.

 

Reading their look correctly, Max hastens to add ‘I assure you, office work only. But she is very good at managing the books for all my businesses, and both she and Minerva have been at a loose end these last few afternoons when that silly Mr Parsons barred them from the school. She’s next door if you want to talk to her.’

 

Thomas and Miranda make their way to the brothel to discover their middle child surrounded by account books and pouring over columns of numbers, hair fiery red in the afternoon sun.

 

‘Evie, sweetheart’ Thomas says ‘why didn’t you tell us that you weren’t being taught mathematics at school? We know how much you like it.’

 

‘You’ve been busy, Father’ Evie said absently, still focussed on her work, ‘besides, I like working with Mistress Max.’

 

Thomas and Miranda look at each other guiltily. They have been less than engaged with the children these last few months as they’ve been devising plans for the plantations. But it was inexcusable, particularly noting that their children had three parents.

 

’How long has Minerva had ambitions to sail?’ Miranda asks. She’s not sure what to feel about this; she’s always firmly believed that her children can do whatever they aspire to, and their sex should not be a barrier, but if she’s honest with herself, she’s less than comfortable with the idea of her youngest sailing about the high seas - even if piracy had abated somewhat in recent times.

 

‘Hmmm?’ Evie still wasn’t really paying attention; goodness, she was just like James when he was fully absorbed in a book or plotting a course. ‘Oh, ever since Papa took William on his first trip a few years back, he was telling her all about manourvering the ship and climbing about in the ropes and things.’ She raises an eyebrow, and Thomas is struck again just how much like James she is. Well, apart from the fact that James would never refer to the rigging on his ship as ‘ropes and things’. ‘So anyway, she figured that you wouldn’t agree, so she and William took matters into their own hands.’

 

They are interrupted at this point as one of Max’s girls brings in her earnings for Evie to add to the day’s takings. ‘Here you go Miss Barlow, 20% as promised.’ The girl goes to leave, but Evie stops her.

 

‘You’re short. You’ve only given me 15%. You might have gotten away with this with the previous accountant, but it won’t fly with me.’ Evie stares the girl down until she scowls, counts out a couple of more coins and leaves without another word.

 

They return to the topic at hand, deciding wisely that discussion of Evie’s choice of employment can wait for another day.

 

‘Does Papa know she’s aboard?’ Miranda asks.

 

’No Mother, I think they were planning on surprising him once they were far enough away from Nassau so he couldn’t turn back and return her. Now, if you don’t mind I’ve still got to finish the rest of this sheet. While you’re waiting for me, will you speak with Mr Parsons about the mathematics classes?’

 

Having been summarily dismissed by their 14 year old daughter, Thomas and Miranda retreat.

 

**

 

James is at peace with the world. He has his successful pirate-come-trader crew, running an honest shipping business, with the potential for the odd prize if the circumstances are right; he has his son aboard again, and James is so very proud of the progress William’s made in the last couple of years; for the most part the crew is happy and the weather is looking good for their voyage north to the American colonies. In another few years, he thinks, he can leave the sea behind and if William continues his good work, he can take over as captain.

 

So he’s a bit surprised when, a few days into the journey, he sees his youngest daughter wearing her brother’s hand-me-down clothes, trying to inconspicously sneak across the deck to the water barrel.

 

‘Minerva, what the bloody hell are you doing here?’ James claps a hand on her shoulder, and she starts.

 

‘Papa, hello! I’ve decided I want to learn to sail like you and William.’ Minerva stands tall (well as tall as her 12 years will allow) and stares down her Papa.

 

James frowns, this is not what he expected for this voyage. ‘And tell me, did your brother have a hand in your coming aboard?’ 

 

Minerva avoids James’ gaze and says in a rather unconvincing tone ‘No…'

 

‘Right, then. BARLOW!’ James bellows up into the rigging where he knows William is working today, ‘Get down here at once!’. There are some murmurs and chuckles from the crew members on the deck, it’s not everyday that the Captain’s son is in for a bollocking.

 

William makes his way deftly down the rigging, and halts in front of James. ‘Yes, Captain, you called?’ William asks innocently, always professional when he’s under his Papa’s command.

 

‘My cabin, now, both of you.’ Glaring at his miscreant children, James turns on his heel and they follow, sharing a look.

 

James closes the cabin door behind them. ‘What in God’s name are you playing at Minerva? A ship is no place for a 12 year old girl. Anything could have happened to you, and then your mother and father would never have forgiven me. Or you.’ This last comment is directed at William, who at least has the good sense to look a bit ashamed.

 

‘Papa, it is not fair. You first took William to see when he was 11, you yourself told us you started sailing at 8. You and Mother and Father have always encouraged us to be independent, and this is what I want. Besides, Anne Bonny sails with Captain Rackham and you’ve always said she was the toughest pirate you ever met.’ Minerva crosses her arms defiantly and James is reminded of when Miranda is determined to have her way.

 

‘And what’s your role in this William? Did you encourage her?’ James snaps.

 

‘Not at all, however I see her point, Papa. You, Father and Mother have always been doing mad things like freeing slaves, pardoning pirates and keeping the British Navy out of Nassau. If Minerva wants to sail, then I don’t see why she shouldn’t. And yes I did help her sneak aboard because we knew that you wouldn’t agree.’ William stands tall like his father, taller than James now too, and has the same determined expression on his face that he remembered from when Thomas was in his salons in London, arguing a point with a colleague.

 

James is skilled enough to recognise defeat when it is staring him in the face. ‘Fine. We will try you on this voyage and see how it goes. I expect you to work as hard as the rest of the crew, plus you’ll take lessons on navigation from me, and Mr De Groot will teach you about the workings of the ship. Mr Gates will give you your day to day tasks.’

 

‘Oh thank you Papa!’ Minerva is delighted. She can’t wait to prove that she’s just as tough as one of the boys.

 

‘But you will address me as Captain while we’re aboard.’ James says, turning to open the cabin door ‘Mr Gates!’ he calls out, ‘I have another deckhand for you.’

 

Mr Gates looks at Minerva, bemused ‘Aye, Captain Flint, we’ll put her to work immediately. Scrubbing the deck I think, then there are a heap of ropes which need splicing and mending. Come along then, Barlow the younger.’ As Gates goes to shepherd Minerva out of the cabin, she gives a final cheeky grin over her shoulder to James and William. James can’t help himself, he tips her a wink.

 

As William goes to leave, James pulls him aside ‘I’m bloody annoyed at you for hiding her from me, anything could have happened to her below decks. What if we’d come under attack?’ he sighs, 'Screen off part of my cabin and have a hammock brought up. I won’t have her bunking down with the men.’

 

‘Aye aye Captain.’ 

 

**

 

Minerva takes to her new duties like a duck to water. The men are amused to have another of the Captain’s children aboard, and she becomes known as ’Pretty Barlow’. Minerva completes her tasks without complaint, even the unpleasant ones, listens attentively to Gates and De Groot and holds her own with the crew. At dinner one evening, one of the men makes a crack about their unusual family with two fathers, and before James or William can react, Minerva smacks the man across the face with her empty metal plate, splitting his lip. There’s silence in the mess, then Billy Bones is laughing ‘That’ll teach you Owens, you don’t mess with a Barlow, particularly the Barlow women.’ 

 

Later that evening, James goes to the cabin to check the charts, and notices that part of the canvas screen is pulled back. He goes to straighten it and finds Minerva fast asleep, arms and legs dangling out of the hammock as if she were too tired to even get herself to bed properly. James smiles, tucking her limbs back into the hammock, and pulling the blanket up. He tucks a stray piece of her long, dark brown hair behind her ear and kisses her goodnight.

 

** 

 

The _Walrus_ returns to Nassau on schedule after their profitable run to the colonies. Unsurprisingly, when the last long boat pulls ashore, James, William and Minerva find they have a reception party awaiting them in the form of Thomas, Miranda and Evie.

 

Evie speaks first ‘So Min, did you have fun? Did you get a chance to climb up the big pole thing?’ 

 

James groans, ‘Oh Evie, how is it that you’re my daughter? It’s called a mast.’

 

‘Oh it was brilliant, I can’t wait to go back!’ Minerva exclaims, and as the family makes their way home to the farm, they’re treated to a blow-by-blow description of a very, very uneventful voyage.

 

**

 

‘It went well then?’ asks Thomas, later after they’ve retired for the night.

 

‘As much as it pains me to admit it, dearest, she’s a natural sailor. Even more so than William. She’s nimble around the rigging, she’s picking up navigation easily and appears to have a real intuition for the ship. She completed all her tasks without complaint, even when Gates had her cleaning the head. We might need to accept that our youngest will follow an unconventional path in life.’ James smiles.

 

‘This is all your fault, Miranda my love,’ Thomas says as he playfully pokes Miranda in the ribs, tickling her. ‘I think you gave her ideas when you went off to deceive Rogers all those years ago, when you should have stayed at home, barefoot and pregnant in the kitchen, doing as your husband commanded.’ Miranda snorts, slapping Thomas playfully.

 

‘Oh my fault, is it?!? Never mind James filing her head full of sailing stories.’

 

‘Hmm well, we might need to reassess our ambitions for our daughters; I must confess I didn’t anticipate one of them becoming a captain, or the other a brothel madam in training.’ Thomas chuckles ‘But, as we always do, we will work it out somehow.’

 

James looks suspiciously at Thomas and Miranda ‘What do you mean a brothel madam?’

 

‘Never mind, dearest, it will keep til the morning.’ Thomas smiles over at James ‘Now come to bed.’

 


End file.
